Salomon Herxheimer (Rabbi)

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Salomon Herxheimer (born February 6, 1801 in Dotzheim near Wiesbaden; died December 25, 1884 in Bernburg ) was a German rabbi .

Life

Salomon Herxheimer was the son of the businessman Isaac-Seligmann from Herxheim am Berg and of Zerline Meyer from Dotzheim . He attended a Talmud school in Wiesbaden.

At the age of 13, Herxheimer began studying at the Yeschiwa Herz Scheuers in Mainz and at the same time learned secular subjects. In 1818 he became tutor at Meier Boppard in Herborn . In addition, he took private lessons from teachers at the Evangelical Theological Seminary.

1824-1827 he studied education, history and oriental languages at the University of Marburg . In the meantime, from May to November 1826, he studied as a scholarship holder of the Nassau state government in Göttingen. On May 8, 1827, he passed the first state examination at the University of Marburg. In 1827 he worked as a religion teacher and preacher in Eschwege . On July 28, 1829, he passed the second state examination with Rabbi Israel-Bär Levita in Rotenburg / Fulda. He was ordained in Braunschweig. On November 16, 1830 he received his doctorate in Giessen.

In 1830 he was first district rabbi in Eschwege; In 1831 he was appointed regional rabbi of Anhalt-Bernburg by Duke Alexius von Anhalt-Bernburg . In 1841-48 he published a new translation of the Bible from Hebrew and wrote a Hebrew textbook, which was the most widely used school textbook in the Jewish religion of its time. In addition to educating the youth, his main focus was on promoting agricultural knowledge among the Jewish population.

On September 15, 1832, he married Helene-Lea Sieskind from Ballenstedt (died 1864).

Herxheimer is considered close to reform. He was a member of Abraham Geiger's Association of Jewish Scholars .

Source text

The following obituary appeared in the Allgemeine Zeitung des Judentums on January 6, 1885: “Bernburg, December 28 (1884, private communication). On the 25th of this month the Nestor of the German rabbis, Dr. Salomon Herxheimer, 84 years old, after a short sick bed. With him went one of the few surviving veterans of the reform of Judaism, that reform which, on the historical ground, aimed above all at the formation of the congregations and then the reorganization of worship according to the needs and wishes of the congregations, and as the most essential means, the Considered the development of religious education. First rabbi in Eschwege, and from 1831 ducal regional rabbi of Bernburg, he founded a Jewish elementary school there, which existed for a long time, and improved the service, as the majority of the community happily welcomed, while a smaller part of them gave the rabbi heavy fighting for it. But the latter's kind, gentle, and amiable character soon overcame these difficulties. The Eternal took the most active part in the development of Judaism and was a loyal member of the rabbinical assemblies and the synod in Leipzig (1869), where he delivered a detailed report on religious instruction. Apart from a few smaller school writings, it has achieved widespread effectiveness through its first edition in 1831, since then 29 editions of which have been published in 29 editions of the 'Israelite Doctrine of Faith and Duty for School and Home'. His Bible edition with translation and explanations (1841-1848) was also well received. On the 50th anniversary of its office, the German-Israelite community association founded a Herxheimer fund to support Jewish seminarians, which has donated a lot of good things since then. Retired a few years ago, the respected old man lived in quiet seclusion. His funeral will take place this afternoon after a memorial service had previously been held in the synagogue . "

Works (selection)

  • Jesode ha-Torah [Basics of the Torah ]. Israelite beliefs and duties for school and home. Hannoversch-Minden 1831, 29th edition 1883.
  • The Pentateuch in Hebrew texts with literal translation and with ongoing explanation. 1841.
  • The prophets and hagiographers in the text with translation and continuous commentary. 1841-1848.

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Herxheimer, Salomon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German rabbi
DATE OF BIRTH February 6, 1801
PLACE OF BIRTH Dotzheim
DATE OF DEATH December 25, 1884
Place of death Bernburg (Saale)